John hill akers



(No Model.)

J. H. AKERS. HORSE DETAGHER.

No. 440,455. Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

WITNESSES:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HILL AKERS, OF IVASI-IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,455, dated November 11, 1890.

Apolioation filed July 18, 1890, Serial No. 359,229. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HILL AKERS, rcsiding at WVashington, in the District of O0- lumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Detachers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and cheap horse-detaching device,

' which can be easily operated and which will eifectually act for the purpose intended.

My invention consists in the novel arrangement and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described in the annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a view of my invention as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the shaft-detaching devices. Fig. 3 is a perspective View thereof. Fig. 4 is a front view of one of the trace-detaching devices. Fig. 5 is a perspective view thereof; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 4:.

In the practical arrangement of my horsedetaching device I employ a spring-actuated bolt for each shaft, to which the ends of the shaft-supporting loops or rings are connected. I also employ traces formed in two sections, the forward sections of which are connected with the breast-strap, while the rear sections are connected withthewhiffletrees in the usual manner. The adjacent ends of the traces are connected by means of peculiarlywonstructed buckles arranged in such a manner in connection with the traces, shafts, and the breeching that the trace-sections and the shafts can be quickly detached, so as to allow the animal to run free from the shafts when desired. I also provide means whereby the shaft-releasing and trace-releasing devices may be quickly and simultaneously detached by the driver.

While I have shown but one set of the shaft and trace releasing devices, it will be understood that one set of such devices is used for each shaft.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters indicate like parts in all the figures, A indicates the shaft, which is provided with the usual l1oldback-hook 0,. Upon the shaft A, ata point in line with the saddle, is secured a spring-actuated holding-bolt 13, held to slide in ears I) 1), formed on a metal plate B, the rear end of which is formed with a housing 6, in which the rear end of the bolt B slides and in which the actuating-spring b is located. The upper face of the housing I) is formed with a longitudinal slot 6 through which passes a projection 19 formed on the bolt, to which the end 0 of the operating cord 0 is secured.

D denotes the saddle, to the lower ends of which are secured the shaft-holding loops or rings d, which slip over the free end of the bolt B when the same is slid back, and is held by said bolt in a manner clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The traces, as before stated, are formed into two sections, one of such traces being shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that the forward section E is secured to the breast-strap F, while the rear section E is secured to the Whiffietree.

II indicates the buckle, which secures the adjacent ends of the divided traces together, one of said buckles being most clearlyshown in Figs. at and 5 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that the same consists of the body portion h, formed of the vertical and horizontal bars h h and 7L2, circular in cross-section, and the upper flattened portion 7L3, formed with an extension or car 72%, to which the end of the 'breeching I is at tached, as shown.

J J denote tongues pivoted upon the bars h it, one of which J serves to secure the end e of the trace=section E, while the other J serves to secure the end k of the holdbackstrap K, the front end of which is secured to the shaft-lug a, as shown.

L denotes a guard for holding the tongues J J from swinging outward, said guard consisting of a central member Z, pivoted to swing outward upon the bar k its upper end being formed with lateral extensions Z Z, forming guides in which the upper ends of longitudinal swinging fingers Z Z work,-said fingers Z Z being pivotally connected to the lower end of the member Z, as at Z said fingers being normally held to their outer positions by means of the springs Z Z. The upper end of ears and the end of the memberl being formed with coincident apertures, through which passes a bolt M, which serves to hold the member Z in a locked position, and thereby normally hold the tongues J J from outward movement, said bolt being held in position by means of the spring m, as shown. The object in providing the longitudinal swinging fingers Z Z to hold the tongues J J from outward movement is for the purpose of admitting of said fingers being pushed backward to allow said tongues to be swung outward when it is desired to hitch up or to unhitch the animal from the vehicle. The bolt M is also formed with an eye orloop to which is attached the end 0 of the operating-word O, as shown.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: When it is desired to allow the animal to become detached from thcvehicle, the

driver, by pulling up the cord 0, will pull the bolt M out of the ears Z Z, and thereby allow the guard L to swing down, thus leaving the tongues J J free to swing outward, thereby allowing the rear sections of the traces to pull away from said buckle and at the same time allowing the holdback-strap to become detached therefrom. The same pull upon the cord will draw the bolt B back, and thereby release the shafts from the saddle loop or ring. The relation of the buckle-bo1t M and the shaft-holding bolt B is such, however, that when the driver pulls upon the cord 0 the bolt M will become released just in advance of the bolt B, so the traces will become parted before the shafts fall.

Any suitably-arranged guides may be provided, which can be secured upon the shafts or the dash of the vehicle through which the operating-cord (3 passes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s'- 1. A horse-detaching device consisting of shaft-holdingbolts detachably connected with the harness, traces formed in sections E E, buckles secured to the inner ends of the sections E, and detachably secured to the inner 5 ends of the sections E, said buckles formed with guards adapted to normally hold the sections E in buckled positions, the operatingcord 0, formed with branches 0 0, connected, respectively, with the shaft-holding bolts'and the buckle-guard and arranged, when pulled, to operate to release said buckle-guard just in advance of the shaft-bolt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In an improved horse-detaching device, the combination, with the divided traces, of a buckle secured to the end of one section of said divided traces and formed with pivoted tongues J J, the tongue J adapted to engage and hold the rear free-trace section, the tongue J the holdbaek strap, a swinging guard hinged on said buckle adapted to normally hold said tongue from outward movement, and a locking-bolt adapted to hold said guard in a locked position, and means for releasing said bolt, whereby said guard will become disengaged from the tongues, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In an improved horsedetaching device, the combination,- with the shafts, the traces formed of sections E E, the back-straps, and the breeching straps, of the buckles H, secured to the inner ends of the sections E of the traces, formed with pivoted tongues J J, the tongues J adapted to hold the sections 1 E of the traces, the tongues J the back straps, the hinged member 1, adapted to swing at right angles to the buckles, the longitudinal movable spring-actuated pivoted fingers Z 1*, adapted to extend over the tongues and normally hold the same from movement, apertured ears 71 adapted to form the connection for the breeching, a sliding bolt M, for holding the member Z in locked position, means for detaching said bolt from the drivers seat, and the shaft-disconnecting devices, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN HILL AKERS.

Witnesses:

SoLoN O. KEMON, CHAS. A. PETTIT. 

